Blair, NE

There are not a lot of fine dining opportunities in Blair, NE. Residents have access to Omaha for that, but there are some interesting restaurants in town for locals who don’t feel like driving or for those passing through. Most Blair restaurants sit along the main travel route in town, Washington Street. This makes them visible to anyone on their way to the Desoto National Wildlife Refuge or coming from Omaha.

Blair has a Runza, a Nebraska chain of fast food restaurants that offers a unique German pasty filled with beef and cabbage. Fernando’s Café and Cantina, also on Washington St, adds Mexican flavor to the local cuisine choices. New York Bar and Grill just down the street from the café is where residents can go to get a beer and steak. There is even a McDonalds to satisfy a late night “Mac attack” for Blair renters.

To the east of town is the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, an 8,362-acre preserve that lies on the east bank of the Missouri River. This refuge is home to more than 30 mammal species, bald eagles, great blue herons and even pelicans. To the north of town is a smaller preserve, the California Bend State Wildlife Refuge. Living in Blair, Nebraska also puts residents within driving distance of some of Omaha’s most prestigious attractions such as the Henry Doorly Zoo, the Joslyn Art Museum and the Durham Museum, as well.

Blair is a small town, so residents have to go outside the city to locate box stores such as Target and commercial shopping malls. There are three main thoroughfares in the town of Blair, and this is where you find most of the local shopping venues. Along the Lincoln Hwy in the center of town, there are the standards such as Walgreens, Radioshack and various hardware stores. On N. 19th Street sits Blair’s Superfoods & Deli for grocery needs. This is one of two grocery stores in the city limits. The other is No Frills, located on 8th St.

Omaha offers the best opportunity for big shopping, however. The Westroads Mall is just 21 miles from Blair. There is also a Walmart on South 72^nd Street in Omaha, which is about a 30 minute drive for Blair residents.